Loose leaf binder and supporting structure therefor



April 18, 1961 R. T. SORENSEN 2,980,445 LOOSE LEAF BINDER AND SUPPORTING STRUCTURE THEREFOR Filed Sept. 1a, 1958 FIG. 1 ,2, 6

IN VEN TOR.

Roy 71' SoRENaE/V AT TORNEY LOOSE LEAF BINDER AND SUPPORTING STRUCTURE THEREFOR Roy T. Sorensen, Twin City Wire- Co., 750 Washington Ave. N., Minneapolis, Minn.

Filed Sept. 18, 1958, Ser. No. 761,714

-1 Claim. (Cl. 281-33) My invention relates generally to improvements in loose leaf books and more specifically to self-contained easelforming devices. for such books, whereby the contents thereof may be readily displayed while the book is held in a most advantageous position for such viewing.

Still more specifically my invention relates to improvements in loose books of the class having a ring type page binder (inclusive of the spiral type binders) secured between generally rectangular matching cover elements and has for its primary object the provision of a pair of cooperating sheet-like easel-forming members receivable between said cover elements in side by side relationship, and one thereof having less radial width than the other thereof, means hingedly securing the radially outer edges of said members together for swinging movements of the narrower of said members from an operative collapsed position in side by side relationship with said relatively wide member to an operative easel-forming position angularly disposed with respect to said relatively wide member and to the adjacent one of said cover elements, the edges defining the lower end portion of said easel-forming members diverging outwardly and downwardly with respect to the lower edge of said cover elements when in said side by side relationship, and means hingedly securing the radially inner edge of said relatively wide easelforming member to said page binder in a manner whereby the downwardly and outwardly diverging lower ends of said easel-forming members project downwardly from the adjacent edge portions of said cover elements. With the above described novel combination and arrangement of parts, it is possible to maintain a book in a slightly backwardly tilted position with the covers thereof spread apart, for purposes of making a page by page inspection, as desired, of the contents, merely by swinging the relatively narrow easel-forming member until the free axially inner edge thereof is substantially in engagement with the adjacent cover element and with the vertical plane of said relatively narrow easel-forming member at substantially right angles to the adjacent cover element.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a highly eflicient easel-forming device for the split ring type binders, which may be moved axially of the binder whereby to position the same in an inoperative position totally confined within the cover elements or alternatively to drop the same with a minimum of skill and effort to an operative position wherein the outwardly and downwardly diverging lower end portions of the easel-forming members project below the bottom edges of the cover elements.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class above described which is extremely inexpensive to produce, which is rugged and durable and which is extremely simple and quick to operate.

The above and still further objects of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims and attached drawings.

atent Referring to the drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a view in top plan, some parts being broken away, and showing the easel-forming members being totally received within said cover;v

Fig. 2 is a view corresponding to Fig. l but showing a different position of some of the parts thereof; and a Fig. 3 is a view in perspective illustrating the easelforming members in their operative position. 7

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates in its entirety a conventional loose leaf binder, the generally rectangular matching cover elements thereof being identified-by the numerals 1a and 1b. As is conventional in binders of this character, a ring-type binder structure 2 is rigidly secured intermediate the-hinged edges 3 of the cover elements 141, 1b. The binder structure 2 includes a plurality of aligned axially spaced split snap rings 4suitably mounted for spreadingaction by conventional means, not shown.

A pair of cooperating rigid sheet-like easel-forming members 5 and 6 are totally receivable within the confines of the cover elements 1a, 11), when in their folded side by side inoperative relationship, as shown in Fig. 1. As will be seen, the easel-forming member 5 has greater radial width than the underlying easel-forming member 6, thereby making it possible for the radially inner longitudinal edge 7 of the relatively wide easel-forming member 5 to be hingedly secured to the split rings 4, through the medium of vertically spaced apertures 8, equally spaced with respect to and alignable with said rings 4. The radially outer edges 9 and 10 of the easel-forming members 5, 6 respectively are suitably hinged together, as indicated at 11, for swinging movements of the relatively narrow easel-forming member 6 from the inoperative folded position of Fig. 1 to the operative position of Fig. 3 wherein the axially inner edge 12 thereof is in close, proximity to the adjacent cover element 1b and at substantially right angles to the vertical plane of the cover element 1b.

The lower edges 13, 14 of the easel-forming members 5, 6 diverge outwardly and downwardly with respect to the lower edge 15 of the cover elements 1a, lb. Therefore, when said easel-forming members 5, 6 ar lowered to the position of Fig. 2, it will be noted that the lower end portion 16 projects below the lower edge 15 of the cover elements 1a, 1b for the extremely important purpose now to be explained.

When the cover elements 1a, 1b are spread apart and the loose leaf binder 1 is caused to rest upon the lower edge 15 (it being understood, of course, that the easelforming members 5, 6 are in the lowered position of Fig. 2), the relatively narrow easel-forming member 6 is swung on the hinge 11 to the position of Fig. 3 wherein the radially inner edge 12 thereof is approximately in engagement with the adjacent cover element lb and with the vertical plane of said relatively narrow easel-forming member 6 at substantially right angles to the plane of the cover element 11). This arrangement permits the cover elements 1a, lb to be tilted slightly rearwardly from the vertical, flush engagement of the angular lower edge portion 14 of the easel-forming member 6 with a fiat supporting surface, maintaining the binder 1 in said slightly rearwardly tilted position. This slightlyrrearwardly tilted position of the cover elements 1a, lb is highly desirable for purposes of inspecting loose leaves A mounted on the rings 4, said leaves Abeing held in engagement with either the cover element 1:: or the relatively wide easel-forming member 5 by gravity.

Obviously, when one is desirous of placing the easelforming members 5, 6 totally within the confines of the cover elements la, 1b, this may be. accomplished merely by spreading apart thesnap rings easel-forming members 5, 6-, from the position of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. l. V i

t ,My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be'completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the 7 above objects and while I have shown a preferred embodimentthereof, I wish'it to be Specifically understood I 4 that same is capable of modification without departure fromthescope and spirit of the appended claims.

; WhatIclaimis: K j

3 5 The improvementin loose leafbooks-of the type .having a ring type page binder secured between generally rectangular matching cover elements; said improvement comprising a pair of cooperating 'rig'id sheet-like easelforming members having radially inner andlouter edges 4' and v elevating the posed with respect to said relatively wide member and to the adjacent one of said cover'elements, said lower edges of said easel-formingmembers diverging radially outwardly and downwardly with respect to the adjacent V edge of said cover elements, means for hingedly securing 'therradially inner edge ;of said relatively wide easelfonninglmember .to said page binde r aplurality of 7 selected axial positions in a manner whereby said easelforming members may be moved from an inoperative position totally received Within said cover elements to said operativeposition with the outwardly and downwa'rdly diverging lower end portions of said easel-forming 5 members projecting downwardly with respect to the adjacent edge of said cover elements. 5 i I References Cited in the file of; this patent V 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS f; 1,846,555

7 Horwich Feb. '23, 1932' 520 1,912,7 5 Stein June 6, 1933 2,687,313 Pisano Aug. 24, 1954 

